† crachoun Obs.
Also -on, -un.
A word of uncertain origin, frequent in Cursor Mundi, the later texts of which render it caitiff or wretch.
[The only similar OF. word is crachon = F. crachat ‘matter expectorated or spat out’, which gives a possible sense in the quots. There is a curious likeness in sense and form between crachoun and crathoun (crathon, craton), although so many instances of both occur that the hypothesis of an error of ch for th, or the converse, seems to be inadmissible.]
| a 1300 Cursor M. 9014 (Cott.) Þe man sco has in hir bandon, He es forcasten als crachon. Ibid. 14717 Als crachuns [Trin. caitifs] he þam feld ilkan. Ibid. 18120 Þu ert nu crachun [other MSS. wrecche] fra þis sith. c 1340 Ibid. 27063 (Fairf.) He lise ouer-commen as a crachoun. |